How Far Apart Can You Plant Wax Myrtle?

Wax myrtle (Myrica cerifera or Morella cerifera, both of which refer to the same shrub) is an excellent hedge or screen plant. It is often used on landscapes to provide a privacy barrier, owing to its thick foliage and moderately dense growth habit. Depending on how thick you want your hedge, you can plant wax myrtle at different distances from one another.

Identification

Grown as either a tree or a shrub, wax myrtle is a fast-growing, irregularly shaped evergreen plant. Native to North America and hardy in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 7b through 11, wax myrtle is also sometimes referred to as southern bayberry. Leaves are green and fragrant and may smell especially good crushed underfoot. Because it is tough and tolerant, putting up with a variety of growth and light conditions, it provides sturdy growth and longevity to hedges.

Hedge Spacing

To produce an unbroken hedge, your wax myrtles must be no farther apart than their eventual spread, usually about 20 or 25 feet. If each plant reaches 20 feet, and therefore spreads to 10 feet on each side, then two hedges will eventually meet in the middle of a 20-foot spacing. You can, however, space hedging plants closer without harming them. If you space them at a third to a half their eventual width -- roughly 7 to 12 feet apart instead of 20 to 25 -- they will fill in more quickly and, when fully mature, form a thick, interwoven hedge.

Other Landscape Uses

Wax myrtles can also be used as specimen trees, especially when lower branches are pruned off and they are trained at an early age to achieve an upright, spreading, graceful form. If you want to provide dappled shade to a deck, patio or other outdoor area, you can plant several wax myrtles together around a perimeter or in clusters. In this case, the spacing should be further apart to allow light between the trees and to allow each tree its own form. Space a minimum of 25 feet apart, so that trees will have a few feet between even if they achieve maximum spread for the species.

Culture

Wax myrtle will grow in both full sun and shade, and in a wide variety of soil types. It tolerates both extended flooding and moderate drought, and is hardy enough to withstand salt spray when grown near an ocean. Prune the tree to develop a strong structure, especially when young. The fruit attracts birds, which spread the seeds via their droppings. Consider growing another species if you live near a wilderness area that might be impacted by wax myrtle's weedy invasiveness.